Minneapolis is rolling out a new tactical move in its fight against gun violence, putting nonfatal shootings under the same microscope as homicides.
On Monday, city leaders formally introduced a dedicated police unit built to treat every shooting that does not end in death as a top-tier case. The Firearm Assault Shoot Team, or FAST for short, will dispatch trained investigators directly to shooting scenes and is meant to speed up arrests, evidence processing and victim support in neighborhoods that have been hit hardest by gunfire.
A March 23 special order from the Minneapolis Police Department spells out how that will work. It directs that every nonfatal shooting “shall be assigned to a FAST Investigator,” and says the response should mirror a homicide investigation, including immediate notification to supervisors and an executive summary within 24 hours. Officers are instructed to secure the scene, collect victims’ clothing and phones, and quickly begin canvassing for witnesses and video, according to the City of Minneapolis.
The public launch came May 18, with Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O’Hara among those detailing the plan. Frey underscored the core philosophy behind the change, saying, “The fact that somebody didn't die should not mean this is a lesser crime,” as reported by FOX 9. Officials say FAST will link MPD investigators with state and regional partners to move cases toward arrest and prosecution more quickly.
How FAST Will Work
Under the new protocol, patrol supervisors are expected to lock down the scene and make sure victims get medical help, while investigators take over the follow-up work and evidence collection. FAST investigators are expected to respond to hospitals, complete detailed reports and coordinate with prosecutors and community navigators to support survivors. The department framed this as part of a broader push to boost enforcement and case clearance in a Minneapolis Police Department news release earlier this year.
Why Leaders Say It Matters
City officials say the shift is aimed at closing a persistent gap in investigative outcomes. Minneapolis solved roughly eight out of every ten homicides in 2025, according to MPR News, but cleared a much smaller share of nonfatal shootings, about 47 percent last year, according to FOX 9. Leaders argue that throwing homicide-level resources at nonfatal cases will help remove repeat shooters from the streets and cool cycles of retaliation.
What Minneapolis Is Modeling
Officials say they looked to nearby and national examples before launching FAST, particularly similar efforts in St. Paul and Denver. Coverage from House Session Daily notes that St. Paul’s dedicated nonfatal shooting team nearly doubled its solve rate and sharply reduced the number of people shot, and that Denver’s FAST unit has reported comparable gains since it was formed. Those Denver results are also summarized in law-enforcement trade reporting, including coverage by Police1.
Funding and Partnerships
The Minneapolis City Council baked staffing for the rollout into the budget, including a 1.7 million dollar ongoing appropriation to MPD to staff a nonfatal shooting task force, according to a funding resolution approved by the Minneapolis City Council. FAST is expected to work closely with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and with county and municipal law-enforcement partners to share investigative and forensic resources.
What To Watch
Officials say they will judge FAST by changes in clearance rates, time to arrest and how quickly forensic evidence moves through the system, while state lawmakers weigh potential grants to help other jurisdictions copy the St. Paul model, as discussed at the Capitol in reporting from House Session Daily. Observers caution that clearance numbers can look better when homicide caseloads drop, so keeping any gains will likely depend on steady staffing, strong forensic support and continued cooperation from the community.
